Jodi Arias Juror Dismissed for Talking About Trial

A juror who sat through three months of testimony in the Jodi Arias murder trial was dismissed today for "misconduct" after Arias' attorneys claimed she made statements showing she was biased.

The woman, identified only as Juror 5, allegedly made statements to other jurors during a closed meeting that showed she was not an impartial jury member, according to a motion filed by Kirk Nurmi, Arias' lead attorney.

Nurmi also petitioned for Judge Sherry Stephens to declare a mistrial because of the statements, but she declined.

The dismissal is the latest in a string of petitions by Arias' legal team to have a mistrial declared. They previously took issue with prosecutor Juan Martinez posing for pictures and signing autographs outside of the courthouse.

The high profile trial has been flooded with attention. Last week, a TV legal commentator was called to testify in court about her statements about the trial.

Arias, 32, is charged with first-degree murder for the death of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, whom she admits she killed in a bloody attack in June 2008. She claims she killed Alexander, 30, in self-defense.

Arias could face the death penalty if convicted.

The juror is one of 18 who have sat through testimony since the case began in January. Five alternate jurors still remain in court each day. Eventually, 12 will enter deliberations and decide a verdict.

Arias' attorneys filed the motion earlier today asking Stephens to release the juror because "statements Juror 5 made in front of her fellow jurors amounts to misconduct that inserted partiality in what is supposed to be an impartial body," according to the motion.

The statements were brought to Stephens' attention during a March 28 meeting with jurors to discuss Martinez's behavior outside of court, according to the report. The transcript of that meeting is sealed from the public.

During that meeting, information came out that "Juror 5 engaged in misconduct that affected more than one juror," Nurmi wrote.